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Meal Plan 6.30.11 Birthday Favorites June 30, 2011

I am going to take a break from meal plans for a few weeks. So in light of birthdays coming up this summer here our some of our family favorites for birthdays.

Potato and Water Cress Salad

1 1/2 pounds small, white skinned waxy potatoes, like Yukon Golds

A drizzle extra-virgin olive oil

Dressing:

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish or 1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder

1 bunch watercress, washed

Coarse salt

Quarter potatoes and place in a medium saucepan, cover with water, and place over high heat to bring water to a boil. Boil potatoes until just tender, 10 minutes. Drain and return to warm sauce pan. Drizzle potatoes with a touch of oil and let stand 5 minutes in warm pot to dry them out.

Transfer cooked potatoes to a bowl. Combine yogurt, oil, and horseradish and pour over potatoes. Coarsely chop the leafy tops of watercress and add to the mixing bowl with potatoes. Sprinkle a little coarse salt over the bowl and toss salad to coat evenly. Adjust salt to your taste and serve at room temperature.

Sage Shrimp

12 jumbo (6 to 8 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined

extra-virgin olive oil

12 large sage leaves

12 very thin slices pancetta or bacon

12 (4-inch) wooden party picks (big toothpicks, no frills)

Place shrimp on a dish and drizzle with a touch of extra-virgin olive oil and toss shrimp to coat lightly in the oil. Press sage leaves down the backs of shrimp where you have deveined them. Wrap shrimp with 1 slice of pancetta each and hold in place with a toothpick placed lengthwise in shrimp. Set aside until ready to grill.

Heat an indoor electric grill to highest setting. Grill shrimps 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp is pink and just firm and pancetta is crisp. To pan fry shrimp, heat a nonstick skillet over medium high to high heat, and sear shrimp 3 minutes per side

To cook, heat oil in a large saute pan until almost smoking. Add steaks and sear 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Do not overcrowd the pan. Use 2pans if needed. Remove steaks to a baking dish and finish cooking in the oven until desired doneness. Remove to a cutting board or platter and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, bring stout to a simmer in a small saucepan and reduce by about 1/3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. After steaks have rested, pour any juices from the cutting board into the sauce, and serve with steaks.

Orange Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

white pepper

oil (for frying)

1/2 cup cornstarch, plus

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon gingerroot, minced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red chili pepper

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

1 tablespoon rice wine

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Orange Sauce for Stir Fry

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons water

5 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons white vinegar

1 orange, zest of

Place chicken pieces in large bowl.

Stir in egg, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon oil and mix well.

Stir cornstarch and flour together.

Mix flour mixture and egg mixture.

Add chicken pieces, stirring to coat.

Heat oil for deep-frying in wok or deep-fryer to 375 degrees.

Add chicken, small batches at a time, and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden crisp.

Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; set aside.

Clean wok and heat 15 seconds over high heat.

Add 1 tablespoon oil.

Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant; about 10 seconds.

Add and stir-fry crushed chiles and green onions.

Add rice wine and stir 3 seconds.

Add Orange Sauce and bring to boil.

Add cooked chicken, stirring until well mixed.

Stir water into remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth and add to chicken.